Determinants of Performance for Result-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System of Government Projects in Rwanda; A Case of Kirehe Watershed Management Project

This study was carried out to establish the determinants of performance for results-based monitoring and evaluation of government projects in Rwanda. Its specific objectives were to assess the influence of baseline data on performance of results based monitoring and evaluation of Kirehe Watershed Management Project, to determine the influence of M& E system on performance of results based monitoring and evaluation of Kirehe Watershed Management Project and to establish the influence of project staff training on performance of results based monitoring and evaluation of Kirehe Watershed Management Project. The study population was 200 direct beneficiaries and 47 project staff which in total equaled to 247 people. The researcher used a sample size of 133 respondents due to the fact that it cannot be easy to collect data from all beneficiaries and staff of the project. Questionnaires were used for data collection and data presentation is in forms of tables in order to produce meaningful results. The researcher concluded a positive influence of baseline data on performance of results based monitoring and evaluation of Kirehe Watershed Management Project. The researcher further concluded a positive relationship between project staff training and performance of results based monitoring and evaluation because the results of correlation revealed that project staff training influences the performance of RBM& E at the level of 63.6 % which proves a significant relationship between project staff training and performance of results based monitoring and evaluation. The researcher recommended that managers or coordinators of government funded projects should establish a system that enable the project team and users to access baseline data so that they may be a point of reference for their routine activities. The project team should also take into consideration the baseline data and utilize them so that they may achieve the purpose of results based monitoring and evaluation. The ministries implementing government funded projects should put M& E plans detailing the frequency of monitoring and review for project result based monitoring and evaluation. M& E team should prepare and availed sufficient M& E tools and guidelines supporting whoever involved in project M& E activities to adopt result based monitoring and evaluation. The managers should also give the M& E team freedom to track the project process and report the findings in an independent environment so that any kind of deviation may be detected. The researcher recommended that the project staff involved in M& E exercise should be given advanced training in data collection, data analysis, data presentation so that they may produce reports that are useful to inform decision makers.